Wed, 13 Jul 1994

Dear Diary:

Well, I gave it my best shot.

Today was bank day (although I have to go back on Friday to finish up). So, I got myself dressed up as business-like as I am able and since it was raining, got Pam to give me a ride downtown to my bank.

I had decided to see if I could get a personal loan based on the fact that I was a customer in good standing and that I already had enough money in their bank to pay for the surgery.

So, I filled out the form, showing that I had $5900 in a checking account and a Certificate of Deposit worth $2900 which matures on August 3rd, as well as about $1500 in household goods. (I also have $1500 in credit from my AT&T Universal card). I also listed the facts that I have ridiculously few bills that occur on a monthly basis, a total of about $750 out of an income of $2800 per month. I confidently entered the office of the loan officer and discovered that none of it counted for anything. He asked what I wished to borrow and I said $5000 (my reasoning was that I could then pay for the surgery and still have money to live on over the next 2.5 months). He said that they couldn't make an unsecured loan to me, so that the limit that I could borrow was $2900, the value of the CD. I questioned him about that, saying that friends had told me that they had obtained unsecured loans from that bank, and was told that they only did that with good customers with a good credit history. I have been with this bank for 10 years, and the last two years have an average balance in the thousands of dollars, so I consider myself a good customer with the bank. He told me I have no credit history. I explained to him that I had borrowed money from this bank before and paid it back and asked if this perhaps demonstrated a good credit history. He said "That was Robert." So, the point is, I guess, that I am a brand new person creditwise, and the only things they even considered as far as credit history were my JCPenny account (which never reached more that $110 of debt) and my AT&T Universal card (which I have used exactly once...to make a $29 phone call). And, he said, I had been overdue on my JCPenny card 4 times. If I was ever overdue, it was only because I only get paid once a month, and I've always paid my JCPenny bill at the end of the month if there was something on it. I got pretty damned pissed at this guy.

I got more pissed when he stepped outside to talk with someone else about my CD and referred to me as "him" and "he." The state of Arkansas considers me a female. I wonder when the people of Conway will accept that.

So, anyway, I am going to be loaning myself the value of my CD, and paying the bank for the priviledge. I get the money on Friday, and then get the cashier's checks made out to send to the doctor and the hospital. Adding in the two personal checks I have ready for deposit, worth $250 total, I'll have $570 left. I think I get a little money at the end of the month from school, but not more than a few hundred dollars, which will undoubtedly have to go for payment of a graft, if one is needed.

Well, I guess I'm not any worse off than I was yesterday. I didn't really expect that I would get the loan a few days ago. But I had psyched myself up into a positive attitude, so it was a bit of a letdown.

Tomorrow, I meet my new physician. Since I have decided to stay on spiro until a few days before the surgery, I need a new scrip for that. I also need a scrip for post surgery. I hope the new doctor is nice.

Love and Peace,

Robyn

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